Environment
Need some good news about the environment? The Optimist Daily is your go-to herald of positive environmental news, highlighting eco-friendly solutions and scientific progress around climate action, circularity, conservation, and more. Learn about everything eco in our Environment section.
New York City Department of Sanitation adds all-electric vehicles to fleet
The New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) acquired their first all-electric garbage truck in September 2020, and after successful testing in Brooklyn, the city has announced plans to purchase and deploy seven more all-electric models. The trucks will be purchased from Mack Trucks, part Read More...
Argentina is first country to ban salmon farming over sustainability concerns
Argentina made history this past week as the first country in the world to ban salmon farming due to concerns about sustainability and its impact on natural ecosystems. Salmon farms (and fish farms in general) spread parasites such as sea lice among each other and to wild marine life. To address Read More...
Beavers to be reintroduced to London in urban rewilding initiative
Rewilding and reintroducing species to their natural habitats is gaining popularity, especially in remote and rural places—but urban areas can also benefit from this practice. Citizen Zoo, a rewilding group whose goal is to bring nature to urban areas, is behind London’s initiative to Read More...
Volcanoes could become green sources of valuable tech metals
While it’s crucial that we transition to renewable energy to reverse climate change, many of these technologies require rare metals, the mining of which has worrisome environmental impacts. That, however, could soon become a problem of the past, thanks to new Oxford research which investigates a Read More...
Bacteria in cow stomachs are one solution to plastic pollution
As our world’s plastic pollution crisis intensifies, researchers are increasingly searching for new and innovative ways to address the problem. Enzymes and circular design have shown real promise, and the latest plastic waste solution comes from an even more surprising source: cow Read More...
Night trains are gaining steam again in Europe
As most of us went over a year without travel, the month of July is extremely exciting for those who are planning to dust off their backpacks and suitcases to take advantage of the easing travel restrictions across Europe, which took place on the first of this month. However, travel may look Read More...
This UK city is making its urban space greener with bee-friendly bus stops
About two years ago, we wrote about an amazing bee-friendly initiative in the Dutch city of Utrecht. Looking to make its urban space as accommodating as possible to pollinators, the fourth largest city in the Netherlands decided to adorn hundreds of its bus stops with green rooftops — thus Read More...
You can now help environmental NGOs by watching calming nature videos
If you’ve turned to nature videos to relieve your pandemic anxiety, doing so now could also benefit the world’s oceans, and the environmental organizations fighting to preserve them. That is, as long as you watch those serene shots of nature through the new Preservation Play YouTube Read More...
MIT scientists recycle plastic bags to develop a new sustainable fabric
Plastic grocery bags are one of the most pernicious types of plastic waste. Now, scientists say they have developed a technique that could recycle plastic bags into the fabrics of the future. MIT researchers have come up with a method that can transform polyethylene into lightweight fabrics that Read More...
After 45 years of conservation, Odisha welcomes natural gharial hatchlings
Most of us are likely familiar with crocodiles and alligators, but these creatures also have a lesser-known relative: the gharial. Unfortunately, the gharial has been on the verge of extinction for generations. Not only are gharial populations under threat from habitat encroachment and fishing, but Read More...